I've been job hunting for a while now and one of the biggest problems I'm running into is "prior experience required." I've worked a few jobs before, but nothing in an office or customer service environment, which is what most jobs around here fall into and is what they're looking for. I've been told a few times to just go for it anyway, especially if it's somewhere I'd really like to work. I feel like I would just be wasting my time and theirs to apply to a job when I know I'm not what they're looking for. Maybe if it was just "six months experience required" but a lot of these positions ask for one, three, five years. What do you guys think? Have you ever gotten a job when you didn't have the required experience?
Pretty much all my jobs have been exactly like this situation, and I always figured, the worst that can happen is they reject me. I used to work in the film industry, which is one of the most notoriously difficult fields to 'break into,' and everyone wanted several years of experience I didn't have. I honestly got the impression that sometimes, businesses don't really care about prior experience, but rather use that as a way to weed out people who aren't motivated enough for that particular career-- this could just be a film thing, I'm not sure. I remember one interview I went for in particular with an assistant producer who already knew I wasn't right for the position, but wanted me to come in anyway so she could ask just what the hell I thought I was trying to do, and then actually hired me for a completely different job. Incidentally, I've heard a lot that one of the reasons women are still statistically underrepresented in the work force is because men tend to actively apply for positions they aren't actually qualified for, and get hired anyway due to arrogance. So whether or not it's a good thing, this does actually happen a lot-- meaning I don't think it will make you look bad to go for it, even if it doesn't work out.
Job experience requirements tend to be there more to discourage people than to be enforced. Apply anyway.
I'd apply! I'm in nursing school, and I've heard of many nurses who graduate and go straight into an ICU. Typically, those are challenging to get into. If you look at a typical ICU posting, they'll say they want like 1-3 years of experience required. Really, it just boils down to formalities. Maybe they just said it to weed people out. Maybe they won't usually do it, but maybe they're "desperate" and will open up to someone who is awesome but has less experience. So go ahead, apply - if you get rejected, at least you'll know!
A business/accounting professor I took strongly recommended applying anyways, because those businesses know they can hire you for cheaper than someone who does have experience. If you've held the job for over a year, you can then hunt for a new job with your experience if you want more money.
Thanks, guys. I have applied for that job. Now I wish I hadn't written off so many positions because of lack of experience, but at least I've learned my lesson for now on.
